


Uptown Girl

by flandy_dandy



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-28 11:25:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15706269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flandy_dandy/pseuds/flandy_dandy
Summary: Arthur is a lower class man who is hopelessly in love with an upper-class woman. But they've known each other since elementary school, so they should be good friends, right? Wrong.





	Uptown Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day they met wasn't as nice as he'd like to believe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, this fic is based on the song 'Uptown Girl' by Billy Joel. Go give it a listen! I was going to follow the song closely, but I had a lot of ideas so I'm only going off of the bare minimum. Also, I couldn't decide if I wanted Nyo!England of Nyo!France to be the upper-class woman but I went with Nyo!France because England has a lot of brothers and I know that a lot of children means less money. Anyways, thanks for reading!

Contrary to what certain members of his family believe, Arthur’s first meeting with Marianne Bonnefoy wasn’t romantic, not in the slightest. It was Arthur’s first day of second grade, and he was playing tetherball by himself. He was perfectly fine not playing with anyone, as his older brothers made him rather wary of the other children. But while Arthur didn’t want to hang out with the kids in his class, another child demanded he should.

 

“Let me play.” A heavily accented voice spoke up. Arthur looked up from watching himself kick the tetherball, and his emerald green eyes met a dazzling sapphire blue. He had been taken aback for a moment before he realized he’d never seen her before. He’s not once seen a girl his age with brown hair or blue eyes like that. Registering this, Arthur remembered a key piece of advice his mother had been drilling into his head since he could speak.

 

“No. You’re a stranger, and I shouldn’t talk to them.” The girl seemed to struggle with what he said. Arthur wrinkled his nose at her and leaned closer. “Are you stupid? Do you even know what I just said?” Now the girl looked pretty mad at him. She looked like she wanted to declare something, but shook her head and held out her hands.

 

“Let me play.” She repeated fiercely. Arthur scowled. Was that the only thing she knew how to say? God, she possessed the mental capacity of an infant. Arthur decided it was a good idea to tell her that.

 

“You’re as smart as a baby, which means you’re dumb. Maybe you can come play with me when you learn how to speak like a smart person.” Now the girl looked really pissed. Her sapphire eyes were ablaze with unbridled fury, and her hands were clenched. But instead of pushing or punching Arthur, she stomped her foot.

 

“Learning!” She cried out. Her eyes met Arthur’s and he saw them begin to water. “I am learning to speak good, so I can play!” Uncontrollable tears began to roll down her cheeks, and Arthur started to panic. Realizing she was sad, he impulsively decided to do what his brothers did to him when he was miserable. It never cheered him up, but he would stop crying.

 

“Don’t be such a baby!” Arthur awkwardly squawked as he shoved her. However, he knew he must have done it too hard because the girl who had trouble speaking correctly was sitting on the pavement now. She examined her hands and became aware of the fact they were coated with blood and pebbles. Arthur was right about one thing; she stopped crying. But what he didn’t realize was that he just made her furious. She curled up her fists and threw a punch, which landed on his chest.

 

“Mean! You are mean and bully!” She shrieked at him in broken English. She continued punching him, even after he fell onto the ground. He attempted to fight back, but he remembered his mother advised him to not hit a lady. Soon after that thought crossed his mind, he told himself that she was a girl, not a lady. Arthur began slapping her in an attempt to get her off of him.

 

By now, a lively crowd of children had gathered around them. Their voices mixed into an array of enthusiastic cheers and desperate pleas to leave each other alone. But the two didn’t listen. One child came back with the playground supervisors, and that was the end of their fun. The girl was pried off of him, and Arthur was held back from lunging at her again.

 

“What on Earth is going on here?” The supervisor yelled. The children around them quieted for a moment before one of them spoke up.

 

“The new girl punched Arthur!” A child with white hair exclaimed. Arthur recognized him as a boy who was in his class last year. Gilbert, if he wasn’t mistaken. Gilbert made Arthur feel uneasy, mostly because he had red eyes and relished in fighting people. The other kids murmured their assent, and the supervisor turned to the girl.

 

“What’s your name?” He asked. Her eyes lit up, mostly because she was taught what to say when she heard someone ask that.

 

“Marianne Bonnefoy.” She replied. The supervisor nodded and attempted to pull out his notepad while restraining Arthur.

 

“Marianne, can you tell me why you hit him?” She stood there for a moment, going over what he had said before she came up with an answer.

 

“He called me baby and said I was dumb like baby. Then he pushed me.” The supervisor wrote down what she said (with fewer grammar mistakes) then turned to him.

 

“Why did you call her a baby, Arthur?” Arthur frowned and crossed his arms.

 

“She doesn’t speak English very well, so I said she was as smart as a baby, which isn’t smart at all. Then she started to cry, so I tried to make her stop by telling her that she was acting like one, and I shoved her like my brothers do.” The supervisor frowned at the comment about his brothers but recorded everything down on his notepad.

 

“Regardless, both of you are going to the principal’s office with your parents. Come on, we still have to notify them.” Marianne sighed, and Arthur’s eyes widened.

 

“No, please don’t call my mum! She’s busy, she won’t care-”

 

“Mr. Kirkland, you displayed unacceptable behavior today. Your mother must be notified.” Marianne observed Arthur curiously as he put his head in his hands. The supervisor knocked on the principal’s door, and the three walked in. Arthur and Marianne were immediately directed to a couple of seats by the door as the principal called their parents.

 

Arthur was still concealing his face when someone nudged his shoulder. He cautiously lifted his face and looked at who nudged him. Marianne had a concerned look on her face, her blue eyes shimmering with concern.

 

“What is wrong?” Arthur opened his mouth, then closed it. He was going to tell her the truth, but this girl had punched him. Deep down, he knew he had started it, but he wasn’t going to apologize. He had tried to help, but she got furious. Arthur hardened his expression, then replied.

 

“It doesn’t concern you, you cheese-eating surrender monkey.” Marianne looked incredibly confused, but she was able to tell by the look on his face it was an insult. She frowned and swiveled her head away.

 

“ _Tais-toi, sourcils._ ” She muttered bitterly. Arthur furrowed his brows, trying to come up with what she said. But he didn’t get much time to think, because their parents burst into the office.

 

Marianne’s parents were both incredibly attractive. Her father was tall and had a chiseled jaw. He had scruff on his chin, and his glittering eyes were the same blue as his daughter’s. Her mother, however, had flowing blonde hair and her eyes were lighter than her husband’s sapphire. If Arthur compared her and her daughter more, he would see they share a nose and eye shape. But he was cut off from marveling over the wealthy couple any longer because someone yanked on his ear. Hard.

 

“Arthur Kirkland! What’s this I heard about hitting a young girl? I raised you better than this!” Ms. Kirkland looked almost exactly like her son, as they had the same shade of green for their eyes and they both had golden hair. However, her eyebrows were much more tamed, and her eyes were larger. Arthur tried batting his mother’s brutal hand off of his ear, but she tightened her grip. Beside them, Marianne’s parents were fussing over their daughter in a language Arthur didn’t comprehend.

 

“Why did you think it was a good idea to-” The principal cleared his throat, and Ms. Kirkland paused her lecture.

 

“Mr. and Mrs. Bonnefoy, Ms. Kirkland, will you please accompany me to discuss what happened?" Ms. Kirkland gave her son a look that clearly said, ‘This is not over’ before following the principal. Arthur slouched back in his seat and anxiously watched the minute hand on the clock.

 

The minute hand had moved over one spot when Arthur heard Marianne speak timidly. “Your mama is scary.” He glanced at the girl and saw she expected a response from him.

 

“She’s not scary, you frog. She’s just...disappointed.” Marianne frowned but turned away from him. It was silent for a couple of seconds, then she spoke again.

 

“My papa is scary sometimes. He wanted brother, but mama gave sister. He wasn’t happy.” Arthur managed to decipher the core message she was awkwardly trying to convey. He didn’t know how to respond to that fact, so he told her about his father.

 

“My dad died a couple of months ago. Mum was left with a teenager, four foolish children, a toddler and a helpless baby. She’s managing, though. Alistair says she’ll shut down any day now and that we’ll all be sent away. I think he’s only trying to intimidate us; Patrick doesn’t believe him. He’s smart.” Before he could say any more, their parents walked in with the principal.

 

“Now, I believe punishment is in order here.” The principal said as the parents sat down. Marianne was instantly lifted into her mother’s lap, and Arthur rolled his eyes. She’s not a baby, he thought bitterly. Ms. Kirkland flicked her son when she saw him roll his eyes.

 

“Arthur, you will receive two weeks of lunch detention. You will do what your teacher tells you to do, and you will not resist it. Do I make myself clear?”

 

“Yes, sir.” The principal nodded approvingly, but Mrs. Bonnefoy looked like she was cheated.

 

“Mr. Beilschmidt, don’t you think he should have a bigger punishment? He brutally attacked our precious daughter!” Ms. Kirkland opened her mouth to fight back but was silenced.

 

“Mrs. Bonnefoy, I understand you want justice for your daughter, but they’re only children. Children fight and tease but they need to know it’s unacceptable. He isn’t in high school, so he will be getting an elementary school treatment. Two weeks will be enough.” The Bonnefoys looked furious that Arthur wasn’t receiving a larger punishment, but Ms. Kirkland was satisfied with the answer the principal gave.

 

“As for Marianne, she will get one week of lunch detention. Both will have to write a letter on why fighting is wrong and apologize for what they did. Now that the punishments have been decided, both of you can go to your class. Thank you for coming.” The second Mr. Beilschmidt finished speaking, Arthur was out of his seat and running to his class. On his way there, he heard Marianne’s hasty footsteps behind him. He slowed down for her, and she promptly began to walk beside him.

 

“My mama says I have to stay away from you. She says you won’t learn, and you’ll hurt again.” Arthur looked at her face and saw she didn’t believe a single word that came out of her mother’s mouth.

 

“Well, you don’t always have to do what your parents say. My brother says that childhood is all about disobeying. Do you wanna hang out later?” Marianne donned a devious grin and nodded eagerly.

  
“Of course, _rosbif_.”


End file.
